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assignment." I'd requested a transfer the very next day, which had been granted. I'd reported the men, too, but I had no idea if they'd ever been punished. "Afterward, I was assigned to a security squad at the Regency." It hadn't taken long for Rikard to take an interest in me and have me transferred to his private team, and only another year for him to make me a captain.
    That thought reminded me of my duty: the Regent's

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    son. "How did you know Prince Rikard was on board our ship?"
    "We didn't," he said.
    "You're lying."
    "Maybe." I wished he'd quit sounding so fucking amused.
    "How many men are on board?" I asked.
    He laughed. "You don't expect me to answer that, do you?"
    No, I hadn't expected an answer.
    When it was over, he took my elbow and guided me
    to my feet. His hand caressed my bare arm. "Can I convince you to stay?" he asked.
    "Do I have a choice?"
    It was apparently all the answer he needed. "I'll take you back to the medical bay."
    I could tell he was disappointed, but I didn't care.
    He took my arm and led me out of his room, down the hall, into the lift—I did my best to memorize the turns. I began to construct a limited mental map of the ship.
    "Here we are," he said. "I'll have Pierce bring you back to my quarters for dinner tomorrow."
    I wasn't sure if I was relieved or annoyed. "Why?" I asked.
    "Have I not made my intentions clear?"

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    "You're wasting your time."
    He laughed. "That doesn't bother me. It seems I have plenty of it to spare." One of his arms circled my waist. His clean, cold smell teased my senses. He kissed my jaw. Tendrils of his hair brushed over my cheeks. I held perfectly still.
    "I'm not a rapist," he said. "I won't take you by force. But I intend to do everything I can to change your mind."

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CHAPTER 5
    "Captain Kelley, why aren't you eating?"
    It was our second dinner together, and I'd wondered if he would ask. Valero had clearly gone to lengths to provide food that didn't require silverware. Instead of a formal meal, he had presented me with a plate of cheeses, olives, and finger sandwiches.
    I thought of my men. I knew they were eating
    exactly what they'd been eating for the last two days: bread, hard cheese, dried meat, overripe fruit. I knew I should be glad for it. The pirates could have done far worse by us.
    Still, it didn't seem right for me to indulge myself at his table.
    "At least try the wine," he said. He pushed a cold glass into my hand.
    I hesitated. Was I gaining anything by refusing? I
    lifted the cup to my lips. It didn't smell like normal wine. It smelled sweeter, almost like apples. I took a drink. It wasn't as sweet as it smelled. It was bracingly cold on my tongue, and yet warm as it trailed down my throat.
    "Ice wine?" I asked, surprised. It was a rare treat. I'd only had it once before, at the wedding reception of a high-ranking Regency official. I'd been there as security, but had managed to sneak a taste of the wine.

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    "It is," he said, obviously pleased with himself.
    "Cerubian."
    A planet known for its extremely expensive wines.
    "Where did you get it?" I asked.
    "Where do you think?"
    "You stole it?"
    "We liberated it," he said, and I could tell he was smiling.
    "Do you think calling it something else makes it any less reprehensible?"
    He was quiet for a moment, and I wished I could
    see his face. I found myself suddenly wondering what he looked like. He was slightly shorter than me. I had the impression that he was stockier, although I wasn't sure why I thought so. His hair was long enough to tickle my cheeks when he'd kissed my neck. Other than that, he was a disarmingly blank space in my mind's eyes.
    "Let me tell you about Rosen," he said. "Do you know what our primary export is?"
    "Helium." Because it was so light, helium was a favorite fuel for aircraft and spaceships. It was unusual to find it on terrestrial